Got a beauty question? We have an answer.

Tutorial: How to French Braid Your Own Hair

The number one question I get over and over again is: “How do you French braid your own hair?”

I thought I’d answer this by way of video …

For those who don’t want to bother with streaming video, here’s the basic breakdown of a French braid:

Step 1: Separate out a section of hair at the top of your hair. Not quite half-up — should be less hair than that.

Step 2: Split that into three parts.

Step 3: Take one of the outer sections and cross it over the middle section so that it replaces the middle. The middle becomes the side you just moved.

Step 4: Still holding the other two sections, pick up the opposite side section, add a bit of hanging hair to it and move that section into the middle.

Step 5: Repeat this action (picking up a side section, adding hair and moving it into the middle) all the way down your scalp. Once all of the hanging hair is braided, you’re done with the hard part. Phew!

Step 6: Regular braid your hair down to the ends and secure with a small, clear elastic.

Bonus tips: Don’t strive for perfection — you’ll just exhaust your arms and quit before you’re ahead. A less perfect finish is more “in” now anyway. And, don’t look in the mirror at the back of your head while braiding. It will throw you off because everything appears backwards.

Happy braiding!

Do you have another style you’d like me to share a tutorial on? Share by commenting below.